Andrew Zimmern hates the stuff. Anthony Bourdain loves it. A friend of mine likened the odour of it to Oscar the Grouch’s fetid, sweaty crotch.
The durian fruit.
I’ve been curious about this malodorous fruit since first hearing about it a few years ago on one of the above mentioned food and travel programs. The smell is supposedly so pungent that in certain countries where it’s more prevalent, it’s prohibited to eat it in public places or in hotel rooms. The edible part looks interesting, almost custard-y, and not unappealing. I find myself looking at it on tv and thinking it can’t be that bad. Of course, smell-a-vision hasn’t really developed yet.
The stand at the outdoor market where I get my okra has had this infamous fruit available in the past. I’ve been tempted to get one and see for myself, but it’s been easy enough to put off doing. Until today.
I was out running a few errands this morning and stopped in at the Chinese market I like, since I was there anyway. I’d been hoping to find some wonton and spring roll wrappers (success!). As I was looking through the frozen section where they also have prepared shu mai and other tasty bits, I realized that they had frozen durian pulp. Once I saw that they did have the wrappers I was looking for, I figured now was the time to put up or shut up and get the durian. All I have to do is defrost it! I don’t have to hack up the fruit or anything!
I’m going to try it tonight. I thought about waiting, but remembered that tomorrow is garbage day, and if it smells as bad as they say — and if I don’t like it — I don’t want it hanging around for a few days! So far, it’s not stinky, but that could be the vacuum-packaging. Maybe without the whole fruit, it won’t be as stinky. Maybe it will be like stinky cheese — awful smell, but mild taste. Maybe I’ll be one of those people that just likes the stuff. I don’t have that receptor that makes cilantro so vile to some people; maybe I don’t have the receptor that makes durian pulp taste so bad.
Details to come …
So what did you think of the fruit? I’ve heard of it but have never seen it.
I forgot that I never followed through on how it turned out. I’ll have to do a proper posting. I will say that it truly is stinky in an awful way, but the taste was fairly mild. I still didn’t eat much — there’s a bit of a funky aftertaste, and I think it would have been better if it was fully defrosted — but I will end up trying it again some day.